Author: roymorgansocial

Cost hit for health: bulk billing going backwards in every seat since ALP came to power

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Original article by Noah Yim
The Australian – Page: 5 : 18-Feb-25

Analysis of data from the Department of Health shows that the national bulk-billing rate for general practitioners fell to 77.3 per cent in 2023-24, compared with 88.3 per cent in 2021-22. It equates to a decline of about 40 million bulk-billed GP visits over this period. Shadow health Anne Ruston says it is particularly concerning that bulk-billing rates have declined in all federal electorates since Labor took office in May 2022; she adds that many Australians simply cannot afford to see a doctor. Health Minister Mark Butler contends that Labor’s record investment in Medicare resulted in an additional six million bulk-billed GP visits between November 2023 and December 2024.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH AND AGED CARE

Gender on the cards for census

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Original article by Stephen Lunn
The Australian – Page: 6 : 18-Feb-25

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has advised that the 2026 census will see people asked their "sex recorded at birth" for the first time. The change to how the census asks people about their sex at birth is intended to distinguish it from new questions on gender and sexual orientation. Other changes to the census in 2026 will include counting the number of children who are home-schooled and increasing the the number of ancestries collected from two to four, so as to get a better understanding of cultural diversity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Small business in recession as public service thrives

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Original article by Millie Muroi
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 18-Feb-25

Deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley says the number of small businesses that employ people in Australia has fallen from around 953,000 to 922,000 since Labor won the federal election in May 2022. Ley adds that the nation appears to experiencing a small business recession, while the federal government has hired about one permanent public servant for every small business that is collapsing. The Coalition has flagged public service cutbacks if it wins the upcoming election, with Labor having hired an additional 36,000 public servants during its first term in office.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Roy Morgan Poll: Federal vote unchanged; Coalition 51.5% cf. ALP 48.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Feb-25

If a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament, with the Coalition on 51.5% (unchanged) just ahead of the ALP on 48.5% (also unchanged) on a two-party preferred basis. The Coalition or ALP would require the support of minor parties and independents to form a government, the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. This week primary support for both major parties decreased, with the Coalition down 1% to 39.5% and the ALP down 1% to 28%. Support for the Greens increased 1.5% to 12.5%. Support for One Nation increased 1.5% to 5.5%, support for Other Parties dropped 1.5% to 4.5% and support for Independents increased 0.5% to 10%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY

PM, Dutton get ready to rumble – officially

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 5 : 18-Feb-25

Federal government MPs are believed to have been told to prepare for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to formally announce the date of the election sometime between 3 and 11 March. Strategists from all political parties and activist groups such as Climate 200 now anticipate an election on either 5 or 12 April, with the latter seen to be the most likely. Climate 200 will help fund candidates in 35 seats nationwide, although this includes just four seats that are currently held by Labor. Meanwhile, history may be against Opposition leader Peter Dutton, given that no federal government has lost office after only one term since 1931.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CLIMATE 200 PTY LTD, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

ALP’s Michele bollocking: cut rates now

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Original article by Greg Brown, Jack Quail
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Feb-25

Labor MP Mike Freelander says the Reserve Bank of Australia should reduce the cash rate by 50 basis points at its board meeting today. He is among a number of Labor backbenchers who have urged the RBA to ease monetary policy, even though Treasurer Jim Chalmers has told government MPs to avoid publicly commenting on the issue. Opposition leader Peter Dutton favours a rate cut, arguing that families need interest rates relief after 12 increases under the current government. However, EQ Economics’ chief economist Warren Hogan says the case for a rate cut is pretty weak at present, and the RBA should leave the cash rate on hold.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, EQ ECONOMICS PTY LTD

Bob Carr blasts Labor’s facile policy on Trump

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 18-Feb-25

Former foreign minister Bob Carr has accused the Trump administration of "taking a wrecking ball to NATO", while he claims Trump’s vice-president JD Vance and his main adviser Elon Musk have deliberately encouraged far-right challengers to NATO governments. Speaking on the sidelines of the Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum, Carr called on the federal government to abandon its deference to the US, labelling it a "woeful policy response" to what he described as Trump’s radical agenda. Carr said that Australia should "under-react" if Trump hits it with tariffs on steel and aluminium, if only to reduce the likelihood of being hit with ‘across the board’ tariffs.

CORPORATES
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION

Murdochs at war – through media

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Original article by Myriam Robin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 18-Feb-25

A dispute among the members of the Murdoch family over the future control of their media empire has been aired in public in recent days, with particular reference to an interview with James Murdoch. The dispute centres around the attempts of Rupert Murdoch to change the terms of a family trust so that his favoured son Lachlan gets sole control of it, while his siblings James, Elisabeth and Prudence miss out on what would be eventually gaining a majority control of it. Rupert Murdoch’s efforts have so far failed, and an appeal against a legal decision that went against him is not likely to succeed. It is suggested that the dispute could be settled by buying out James, Elisabeth and Prudence on terms that are more favourable than the 60 per cent of market value that they have been offered.

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Libs pan Chalmers over gross politicisation of public service

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 12-Feb-25

Shadow finance minister Jane Hume has criticised the federal government for getting Treasury officials to undertake costings for the Coalition’s proposal to give small businesses a tax deduction of up to $20,000 a year for business lunches. The major political parties have traditionally not costed each others policies since the independent Parliamentary Budget Office was established. Hume says public servants must not engage in ‘political activities’ as part of their employment, and she has urged Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer to emphasise this in the lead-up to the federal election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

Roy Morgan Business Confidence up 2.3pts in January to 108.2 as prospect of interest rate cuts in 2025 increases

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Feb-25

In January 2025, Roy Morgan Business Confidence was 108.2 (up 2.3pts from December 2024), as the prospects of interest rate cuts in the next few months increased. Business Confidence is just 2.1pts below the long-term average of 110.3, although it is up 15pts from January 2024. Business Confidence has also now had a positive rating above 100 for four months in a row – the first time this has happened since the Albanese Government was elected in May 2022. Now 58.6% (down 1.1ppts) of businesses expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next year, while 35.8% (down 1.8ppts) expect ‘bad times’ (the lowest figure for this indicator for three years since February 2022). Meanwhile, 43.7% (up 3.2ppts) of businesses expect the business to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while only 15.1% (down 6ppts) expect the business to be ‘worse off’ financially (the lowest figure for this indicator since October 2021). The latest Roy Morgan Business Confidence results for December are based on 1,594 detailed interviews with a cross-section of Australian businesses from each State and Territory.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED